16 Mar: Hanoi History

Hanoi has a population more than 6 million, which makes it bigger than Seattle. We observed quite a lot of construction during our 30-minute ride into town from the airport.

Our hotel is in the Old Quarter, full of narrow streets, colonial French rowhouses, and hordes of motor scooters. After lunch we did a walkabout in this part of town, visiting some unique shops. Prices here run the entire range from pennies to hundreds of dollars; that makes for quite a mix!

The national founding legend of Vietnam has a king-Arthur-like plot line involving a hero, Le Loi, a holy turtle, and a special sword; the sword was used to end the thousand year Chinese occupation. We visited one of the turtles today at his temple. This is a small one. There’s an even bigger one still in the lake: 100 years old and 450 pounds when last seen in 2011.

Dinner for our last night in Vietnam was in an old French colonial residence, now a terrific restaurant.

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15 Mar: Hoi An Backroads

It’s time to get out of town! Remember that 80% of the population (80 million, almost as populous as Germany) lives outside the towns and cities. We had seen some rural life in the central highlands near Khe Sahn; but Hoi An is a coastal area.

We set off to explore, first by bike. The rice paddies are sectioned in units of 500 square meters, and a plot that size generates revenue of $300 per year. Many families have only this much. Most are subsistence farms, where there is a small surplus over the family’s needs that is sold for cash. Vegetables would also be raised on the family plot. In this area, with irrigation, they can get two crops of rice each year. It was the introduction of the water buffalo that allowed the heavy work of irrigation system construction and doubled the rice crop; so the water buffalo is revered as the foundation of civilization.

Since this area is so close to the restaurants of Hoi An, one village is specializing in organic herbs and vegetables. Two hundred families have 7 hectares (about 3acres) under this intense cultivation. We visited one woman, watched how she used seaweed as fertilizer, and helped her water her crops.

A bit later, after passing some shrimp ponds under their periodic muck-out, we had an opportunity to ride a water buffalo. I was surprised: these animals are smaller than our big dairy Holsteins, but more muscular. This cow was very sweet tempered, and she really took to that water!

Trading in our bikes, we boarded a boat to get out on the bay and see how the fishermen live. We had special training in the hand-cast net – and an opportunity to practice.

Also we operated the muscle-powered winch net. Our meager catch was added to the pot for lunch, along with some vegetables from earlier stop.

So in the space of less than seven hours, we truly had a hands-on experience of rural life with the farmers and fishers near Hoi An. What an exceptional, memorable, day!

14 Mar: Road to Hoi An

This morning we were sad to leave behind our Peacetrees leader and in-country program director, who needed to go meet up with an incoming group of visitors. Not to worry – we still have Peacetrees personnel with us, one US staff and one VN staff.

Our diminished band left Hue and headed south again, crossing mountains via a Japanese-built 6 km long tunnel at the 1300m elevation, then skirting Danang and stopping briefly at Marble Mountain. This was the site of a major battle during the Vietnam War, involving US Special Forces. It has a major marble quarry, and today a sculpture factory.

We reached Hoi An on the coast in time for lunch. Since China was closed to foreigners, Hoi An was established as the foreign trading post very early on. So there are sections that look Chinese, others look Japanese or French.

Once China was opened to trading and the river started silting up, it became a backwater (literally), a town that time forgot. There was nothing important here, so there was no war damage.

Today the old town center is designated as a pedestrian zone. Well, at least a no-car zone. One can still be mowed down by the ubiquitous scooters.

It’s a lovely place. But all the shops and services are aimed squarely at the numerous tourists. Hoi An strikes me as the Vietnamese version of Carmel.

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14 Mar: Road to Hoi An

This morning we were sad to leave behind our Peacetrees leader and in-country program director, who needed to go meet up with an incoming group of visitors. Not to worry – we still have Peacetrees personnel with us, one US staff and one VN staff.

Our diminished band left Hue and headed south again, crossing mountains via a Japanese-built 6 km long tunnel at the 1300m elevation, then skirting Danang and stopping briefly at Marble Mountain. This was the site of a major battle during the Vietnam War, involving US Special Forces. It has a major marble quarry, and today a sculpture factory.

We reached Hoi An on the coast in time for lunch. Since China was closed to foreigners, Hoi An was established as the foreign trading post very early on. So there are sections that look Chinese, others look Japanese or French.

Once China was opened to trading and the river started silting up, it became a backwater (literally), a town that time forgot. There was nothing important here, so there was no war damage.

Today the old town center is designated as a pedestrian zone. Well, at least a no-car zone. One can still be mowed down by the ubiquitous scooters.

It’s a lovely place. But all the shops and services are aimed squarely at the numerous tourists. Hoi An strikes me as the Vietnamese version of Carmel.

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13 Mar: Hue Sights

This is a big city, with a correspondingly big market. We found many treasures, including boxes made from cinnamon bark and necklaces made from lotus seeds.

Having been the imperial capital for so long, the emperors have their tombs on the hills nearby. We visited two; one from the 1400s and one from 1925. Just astounding.

After lunch we visited the citadel in Hue, built on the model of the Forbidden City in Beijing. This entire part of the city was mostly flattened during the Tet offensive of 1968, but there has been a considerable reconstruction effort underway. Several international organizations have funded the reconstruction and preservation of historically significant monuments.

We visited the Thien Mu pagoda, a Buddhist temple on the banks of the Perfume River on the outskirts of Hue. This was the center of Buddhist opposition to the Diem regime; and they had a relic of the 1963 self-immolation of one of their most revered monks. Fortunately, we were in time for the monastic 4 o’clock afternoon prayers, with the accompanying bells and gongs and chanting.

Dinner was a very special affair, something like a Vietnamese version of those Medieval Banquets. Remember Hue was an imperial city. So we were an imperial court! We had a king, a queen, two gentlemen mandarins (senior civil servants/government officials), and the rest of the ladies were all … concubines. Ahem. Complete with costume.

And of course every court has court musicians. So we did too, with their unique Vietnamese instruments, but I was too busy listening to take pictures. Mea culpa. I can say it was much easier to listen to than Chinese singing.

All in all, a delightful day full of very different experiences.

12 Mar: Hue Finery

The contrast between the upcountry area around Khe Sahn and Hue is like the contrast between the hollers of Kentucky and downtown San Francisco, except the buildings are not quite so tall. Hue was the national capital from 1802 until 1945, and it has major universities. It is also within reasonable travel range from Australia. So – this is a big, bustling place with lots of Caucasians in the mix, lots of hotels and eateries and other tourist services.

Tailors, for instance. Our PeaceTrees leader has a tailor here, so of course we all trooped over to see. She made jackets and tunics and pants for those of us who had not bought ao dai in Dong Ha, and they were delivered the next evening.

And bars. We stopped in one for a cold drink after shopping.

And food! We treated ourselves to a French restaurant located in the old citadel, where we had the option of Western food. I had salad (which we have been carefully avoiding throughout the trip for as a food sanitation precaution) with quail eggs:

And penne pasta with a sauce made from bleu d’Auverne, my favorite French blue cheese:

A truly memorable meal!

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12 Mar: Road to Hue

Today we began working our way south from the former DMZ and Quang Tri province, following the coastline south. Our first stop was at the town of Quang Tri, which had been the provincial capital until the war flattened it. The old masonry citadel in the center of town received continuous shelling for nearly 90 days, as the two sides contested its possession. There wasn’t much left, so it was made into a memorial garden.

Further south there is a pilgrimage site, where the Blessed Mother appeared several times to farmers during the Catholic persecutions of 1798. This too was largely destroyed during the war. The NVA assassinated the clergy, and set up an anti-aircraft battery inside the large brick church. When the Americans bombed it, the ruin was used as a propaganda tool. The shrine has now been rebuilt, and 500,000 people come every three years to the rites. I could feel a real Presence here, I must confess.

Then it was onward to Hue, where we will be for two nights.

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11 Mar: Integration & Celebration

Today is our last day in Dong Ha. For breakfast we walked across the street to a small coffee shop, which had a wonderfully tasty onion omelet and real lattes. This was a nice change from the rather forgettable hotel breakfast.

This morning we were back at the Landmine Education Center. The program director, who is quite a good photographer, had collected and printed photo packs for each of us, with large and small individual and group shots. Then there was time for quiet reflection.

Then lunch and a trip to the market for two hoes, a large quantity of local pepper, and some wine for this evening’s festivities.

So the Women’s Union invited us for a farewell party. First we cooked with them in their kitchen. I learned how to make dumplings and spring rolls and crispy fried shrimp. Now, dumplings are a little like crimping piecrust: every cook has her own method, so we learned several.

The piece de resistance however was the banana flower salad, which is painstakingly composed, very beautiful – and then tossed!

Now it was time to change out of cooking togs and into party clothes. Those of us who ordered ao dai now received them: lovely and very comfortably fitting (we insisted on a loose fit rather than the skintight Vietnamese style). Our willingness to go to this trouble made a very favorable impression on our hosts.

After feasting there was speech making and gift giving and dancing. They danced the cha-cha with us; we taught them the Hokie-Pokie. A wonderful festive farewell; many new friends to share. Until we see you again!

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10 Mar: History Lessons and R&R

Today we are still operating in the vicinity of Dong Ha. In the morning we visited a cemetery for the war dead. That would be the North Vietnamese dead, as those fighting for the southern side were not so honored by the victors. (In the US, the Confederate war dead were not buried in US war cemeteries either.) This national cemetery has 10,000 graves and is one of three. Now, estimates of war casualties range upwards of a million and a half, so most are buried in family plots. This makes it easier for descendants to tend the gravesites, as it is their duty to do.

Afterwards we visited the Ben Hai bridge crossing the Ben Hai river, which was the line of division from 1954 until 1975. There is a small museum with many photos of the early years of the conflict, and maps charting the individual ordnance strikes. I was able to explain about the range of naval gunfire, which was quite heavy in this sector by the beach.

Next we visited the tunnels at Vinh Moc, where the entire town moved underground to escape the bombardment. With heads ducked, we could walk through these – different from the tiny tunnels built for offensive attack near Saigon.

For lunch we were treated to wonderfully fresh seafood at a pavilion overlooking the surf.

Speaking of surf, the beach was so inviting …. We went for a swim! Very refreshing from the heat.

And much later, after dinner, my friends somehow managed to acquire a birthday cake. It was so light and airy – absolutely delicious! Astounding to find in Asia, where ovens are not part of the kitchen.

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9 Mar: Glad Rags

Starting with the events yesterday for International Womens Day, we have seen many women wearing the Vietnamese formal attire, called ao dai (pronounced ow-zhai). The PeaceTrees leader was wearing hers too. We all oohed and ahed over these. So Madam Thuy arranged for us to have an appointment with the ao dai tailor when we returned to Dong Ha in the afternoon. This outfit consists of a brilliantly colored silk tunic and trousers. So many colors!

Several of us were quickly measured, and we should see the results on Monday.

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9 Mar: A New Kindergarten

So far, PeaceTrees has built 11 kindergartens and 6 libraries. Today we celebrated the groundbreaking for the next one. This was an event of major ritual and ceremony: several dancing groups of children

As well as adults dressed in their ethnic heritage costumes

Followed by ritual drinking of rice wine from the common jar

And speeches by all the representative dignitaries: leader of PeaceTrees, US Ambassador, leader of provincial Women’s Union, village head man, and principal for the district kindergartens.

And finally the building of the first foundation footing. This was a big deal. A very important deal. We cemented a much stronger relationship with the Ambassador and State Dept (source of funds for the demining and unexploded ordnance programs) and with the Wonens Union (key stakeholder partnership for ongoing efforts).

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9 Mar: More Kindergartens

We are near the Laos border this morning (can see it across the river in fact), down some truly rough roads to two kindergartens. These were funded by, and named for, the friends and families of two Marines who were killed in the Khe Sahn battles. This is ethnic minority land, where people dress differently and the houses are traditionally up on stilts. The children grow up speaking the tribal language in the family home. This is not helpful when they arrive at first grade, taught in Vietnamese. So the kindergartens teach these children Vietnamese to get them ready for school.

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8 Mar: Road to Khe Sahn

After lunch we headed west, to Khe Sahn, the site of much bitter fighting during the war. This is very near the Laotian border – which was part of the war situation, as the Ho Chi Minh Trail ran through this area. Mountainous terrain, cut by rivers that are treacherous during the monsoon season. This stretch was the area of the huge battle in 1972, when US helicopters were called in to evacuate a South Vietnamese force that failed to invade Laos. Over 500 were shot down. It gives me pause – I think our war dead would not want such sacrifices to be forgotten.

Later we visited the demolition of unexploded ordnance, with two of the mine clearance teams. This struck me as a very professional operation. They made a small size blast from a collection of smaller pieces; some larger bombs will be transported to a dunes area, further away from town, for demolition.

The US Ambassador, David Shear, was in train with us from the tree planting onwards through dinner. He’s an Asia specialist, and shares some wonderful stories of past adventures. This is a great opportunity to share the Peacetrees story.

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8 Mar: Kindergarten Visits

Children are the key to the future, and PeaceTrees includes them in their program of healing the wounds of war. Today we visited two kindergartens to see the good works of PTVN and to express our appreciation to the teachers.

The first of these was at the Peacetrees Friendship Village, which was a 40-acre plot where 100 houses were built over 7 years ago for the land mine wounded, Agent Orange disabled, and the poorest of the poor. A community center, school and kindergarten were included in the community. This kindergarten has over 300 children! And they immensely enjoyed seeing their photos on our iPhones.

8 Mar: Int’l Women’s Day

Such an honor! At dinner last night, Madame Thuy invited us all to come over to the Women’s Union hall for the celebration. So off we went, in our best fancy gardening attire.

Many speeches and rounds of toasts (mind you this is just after breakfast).

Much good feeling. Then they sang to us. We sang back: “All Shall Be Well”. What a very special experience!

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7 Mar: Heading Upcountry

Bright and early – without breakfast – we headed back to the HCMC airport, this time to the domestic terminal. Like most domestic terminals, it was a bit older and a bit more chaotic than the international one, but everything went smoothly. We found breakfast right next to the shopping area. And by mid-morning we were in Dong Hoi, in the former North Vietnam (a place I never expected to be before this trip!). This is a regional town – so things are much calmer, more peaceful, more like home than the hurly-burly of a crowded city, where the motor scooters outnumber trucks and cars by 30:1.

We stopped for lunch at a floating seafood restaurant. The fishing boats were tied up on one side and the fish farm pontoon was on the other. The food was delicious, and very different from the south.

Afterwards we drove south along the former Route 1, the French built road connecting Saigon to Hanoi. It is now paved, and something of an adventure: one makes one’s own passing lane, and the oncoming traffic takes their chances. Ahem. On the drive down there were long stretches where we could see the green Song mountains on our right and the blue waters of the Tonkin Gulf entry on our left, as we passed through vivid rice fields.

We crossed the former DMZ (marked only by an old French blockhouse and a new museum in the north, and a reunification monument in the south).

Dong Ha is a provincial capital (moved from the town of Quang Tri, which was flattened in the war). Quang Tri province was the northernmost part of the former South Vietnam. Now with a population of 100,000, it is a regional center, not a tourist destination. There is a river here, and we are very near the coast of the South China Sea.

This evening we were welcomed at dinner by Madame Thuy, head of the Women’s Union for the province, along with a translator from the Dept of Foreign Affairs.

6 Mar: Six Bars and Counting

Truly. Six bars (or at least, places that serve liquor) in one day. All I can say is: the beer is safe, the water is not.

Mid-morning, after the market visit, there was a stop at a sidewalk cafe for beer and fruit juice (not together!). We visited the Museum of Saigon History, which covered everything from 1200AD onwards. That necessitated a stop for … More beer/juice. Lunch I mentioned in the previous post. After the GPO and downtown walkabout, some of us headed for the shopping street (and scored some lovely silk shawls) while my group headed back, via a stop at the rooftop bar of the Hotel Rex, site of the American military press briefings during the war. The three of us went through 3 liters of water together, in addition to the … Beer and juice.

There was wine with dinner, and then everyone headed back to the Rex rooftop. That’s a very long drinks menu, requiring much pondering (above)! I settled on a Ginger Mojito (below). It was a lovely way to end the day, overlooking the heart of downtown with all sorts of lights and colors.

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6 Mar: Foretaste of Things to Come

For breakfast, the Vietnamese national dish is pho, the noodle soup with various additions to taste. When we were in the market yesterday morning, the stall vendors all had trays of these big bowls going.

Our lunch was at a place that specialized in street food; so we had a tableful of wondrous an strange dishes. There was a sautéed water spinach, grilled beef and pork with seasonings, grilled squid, deep fried soft shell crabs, and some Hue pancakes – crispy affairs one stuffs with the accompanying grilled meats and assorted greens. Delicious!

But the high point of the day was the evening meal, at a very special restaurant run by an artist. Her lacquerware decorated the walls. The dishes were all from Hue, which was the ancient court city (think the kaiseki cuisine philosophy for Japan). So these are artfully fashioned and delicately seasoned. The speciality was steamed dumplings (see above) as well as fresh spring rolls filled with grilled meats and fish (below).

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6 Mar: Afternoon in HCMC

The French colonial authorities built some wonderful Beaux Arts buildings in Saigon. The General Post Office (above) was designed by Gustav Eiffel. Yes, that Eiffel. It was a beautiful, graceful, quiet place of refuge from the mid-afternoon heat and bedlam. The National Theater (no longer the Opera House) (below) was equally graceful.

Our hotel was truly centrally located. I really appreciated that fact in the heat and humidity.

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6 Mar: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Oh my goodness this was a long trip! How long? Long enough to fly from Paris to Seattle and then take a connecting flight to New York. Long enough to watch four feature films and two 90-minute episodes of Sherlock Holmes. In all, door to door, 26 hours. But Asiana Airlines was great, and all nine of us arrived with our bags. After checking in and unwinding, we finally turned in about 1:30 am.

So today is our only day in HCMC, and at 97 degrees and a population of ten million, I suspect that is enough for this trip. Our hotel is very centrally located; everything is a five minute walk. This morning we visited the main market, which is a riot of sensory overload. More different kinds of fish and shellfish than I could name, all prettily arranged in delicious looking piles. All sorts of produce, both recognizable and strange. Google Dragonfruit, for example. And a peach that was the color of a tomato and shaped like a tulip. Pig tails including the curl. There was a general merchandise section also. The individual stalls were absolutely crammed with interesting colors and textures.

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VN: Packed and Ready

I’m packed and (mostly) ready for this trip with Peace Trees Viet Nam, starting tomorrow. It’s a very long haul, changing in Seoul and arriving Ho Chi Minh City near midnight Tuesday local time. But this will be my first time in Viet Nam (we didn’t have diplomatic relations when I was last in east Asia with the Navy in the early-90’s) and also Korea. There’s a long layover on the return through Seoul, so I will get to see a bit of the city then.

Peace Trees Viet Nam was founded by a member of our parish (www.gracehere.org), in memory of her brother who was killed in the war. This NGO was the first non-profit allowed access once relations were established with the US in 1995, and they have worked tirelessly to help mend the damage of war. Their focus is the region of the former demilitarized zone, with its hazards of unexploded ordnance. They educate the populace in safety practices, and plant trees in the deforested areas, and build kindergartens. We will be visiting a number of these sites.

In addition, we will spend a few days in Ho Chi Minh City at the beginning, and in Hanoi at the end, of our itinerary. More later!